Audi logs 12.9 percent sales growth in July, US market drives gains

August 9, 2012:With deliveries of 119,600 cars in July 2012 worldwide, Audi AG has recorded an increase of 12.9 percent. Its strongest-ever July performance was boosted by a healthy 28 percent increase in unit sales in the US. In its home market Germany, too, demand for models from the Ingolstadt carmaker were up by 10.7 percent. Overall, Audi sold 852,900 cars in the first seven months of the year, 12.4 percent more than in the same period of 2011.

“Following this successful start to the second half, we are expecting the new A3 (pictured) to give us an extra lift over the coming months,” said Rupert Stadler, chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG. Despite the continuing difficult economic environment in some markets, July saw the carmaker secure further growth in Europe. With around 60,800 cars sold, it improved on the prior-year month by 5.5 percent. There was strong growth in Eastern Europe – unit sales there climbed by 31.4 percent to around 4,800 last month. The main driver of growth in that region was Russia, where 2,757 Audi models were sold (up 35.6 percent). The brand also maintained its dynamic performance inGermany where sales rose 10.7 percent to 23,712 automobiles. Cumulatively, the unit total for Germany over the first seven months is up 7.8 percent (157,885 units). This growth was fueled in particular by the A1 Sportback, the A6 Avant and the Q3. From January through July, Audi delivered 14,500 units of its new compact SUV to customers in Germany.

New models also boosted sales in the United States, where July’s unit total of 11,707 was up 28 percent on the prior-year month. The new generations of the A4 and A5 families, which went on sale at U.S. dealers in June, were particularly in demand. Sales of the A4 models were up 51.7 percent, while the A5 models gained 31.9 percent. July also saw the first units of the RS 5 high-performance model delivered to customers in the US.

In China, the first seven months of 2012 saw a growth of 34.6 percent, with total sales of 226,748 automobiles. The locally built models saw much demand and sales of the Changchun-made Audi Q5 soared by 80 percent, with 50,170 customers choosing this SUV model between January and July. Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region, Audi also continues to make impressive progress in India. The company reported 98 percent sales growth in the Indian market in July 2012, selling 680 cars in the month (July 2011 sales: 343 cars).

The brand grew 49 percent during January-July 2012, selling 4,680 vehicles as compared to 3,145 vehicles sold during the same period last year.Leading the growth in India is the A6 saloon along with the new A4 and the Q3 SUV.